Development of Lower-Risk Gambling Guidelines

Session Title

Session 1-2-A: Identifying and Assisting Problem Gamblers

Presenters

Matthew YoungFollow

Presentation Type

Event

Location

Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada

Start Date

28-5-2019 11:00 AM

End Date

28-5-2019 12:25 PM

Disciplines

Health Policy | Health Psychology

Abstract

Objectives: Using the same collaborative, evidence-driven approach that produced Canada’s Low Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines, this project aims to develop a workable set of national Lower-Risk Gambling Guidelines (LRGGs) with clear quantitative limits describing when level of gambling involvement is more likely to result in individual harms. These guidelines will help people make informed decisions about their gambling.

Methods: In April 2016, a scientific working group was formed and tasked with synthesizing available evidence from two Canadian and eight international population datasets (from the United States, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, France, Australia, and New Zealand) on the relationship between gambling involvement (i.e., frequency, expenditure, and duration) and gambling related harms (i.e., financial, relationship, emotional, and physical harms). A national advisory committee, including partners from government and industry, was formed to review the evidence and oversee the development of the LRGGs.

Results: In late 2018, preliminary LRGGs were developed, presented and discussed with a team of international collaborators and the national advisory committee. These preliminary limits will be presented. A final technical report detailing the final guidelines, the evidence that informed their development, limitations, and essential contextual factors will be published in March 2020.

Keywords

public heath, lower-risk gambling, gambling harms, harm reduction

Author Bios

The submitting author

Matthew M. Young, Ph.D., is a Senior Research and Policy Analyst at the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) and an Adjunct Research Professor of Psychology at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. Matthew leads CCSA’s drug use epidemiology research activities which includes work to estimate the economic burden of substance use in Canada. In addition to substance use epidemiology, Matthew has studied gambling-related harms for over 15 years and did his doctoral work studying craving among problem gamblers. Currently, he co-chairs the scientific committee tasked with developing the first Lower Risk Gambling Guidelines.

Funding Sources

Funding is provided by the Quebec-based organization Mise sur tois. Mise sur tois has had no involvement in any aspect of the research including, not limited to, the research questions, methodology, research conduct, or analysis of results.

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May 28th, 11:00 AM May 28th, 12:25 PM

Development of Lower-Risk Gambling Guidelines

Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada

Objectives: Using the same collaborative, evidence-driven approach that produced Canada’s Low Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines, this project aims to develop a workable set of national Lower-Risk Gambling Guidelines (LRGGs) with clear quantitative limits describing when level of gambling involvement is more likely to result in individual harms. These guidelines will help people make informed decisions about their gambling.

Methods: In April 2016, a scientific working group was formed and tasked with synthesizing available evidence from two Canadian and eight international population datasets (from the United States, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, France, Australia, and New Zealand) on the relationship between gambling involvement (i.e., frequency, expenditure, and duration) and gambling related harms (i.e., financial, relationship, emotional, and physical harms). A national advisory committee, including partners from government and industry, was formed to review the evidence and oversee the development of the LRGGs.

Results: In late 2018, preliminary LRGGs were developed, presented and discussed with a team of international collaborators and the national advisory committee. These preliminary limits will be presented. A final technical report detailing the final guidelines, the evidence that informed their development, limitations, and essential contextual factors will be published in March 2020.